WSNTM 03

3. Reception

The day of departure for the capital, Blestige, had arrived.

From early morning, the Edalin household was in chaos.

“No, why are you making her wear my dress?!”

Riley, who had no dress of her own to wear to the reception, ended up borrowing Claire’s dress.

Of course, Claire’s opinion had not been taken into account at all. As expected, Claire threw a fit.

Lady Edalin tried to calm her excited daughter gently.

“Well, what can we do? Riley doesn’t have a dress to wear.”

“That’s her problem! She should go to the shop and buy one! Or have one custom-made! Why should she wear someone else’s dress?”

“Claire, you’ll have to bear with it this time. Who would willingly give you their dress? This is a formal event, so we need appropriate attire. We can’t just make a new dress overnight. She’s only going to wear it once anyway—buying a new dress just for Riley would be a waste of money.”

“Then why not just get some ready-made dress?”

“Even so, it needs to be appropriate for the occasion. You can’t just throw anything on. That would bring shame to our family name.”

“The shame is already brought by her attending in the first place! You should have convinced Father!”

“That wouldn’t have worked. The Tower Lord personally sent an invitation to Riley. How could your father, a baron, refuse his orders? Calm yourself. Close your eyes and endure it.”

Buying a dress seemed wasteful, and letting Riley wear something random was out of the question. So the solution was to have Riley wear Claire’s treasured dress.

It saved money while still looking respectable—clearly the best option under the circumstances.

Yet Claire refused to calm down easily.

Her protests continued longer than expected, but they didn’t last forever.

“What’s all this commotion?”

“Ah… Father.”

“Why are you making such a ruckus? What’s going on?”

“…Oh, it’s nothing.”

Before her mother, she had been a spoiled child, but before her father, she became a proper young lady.

No wonder—Ryan had been strict with his daughter. He had raised Claire firmly and decisively to prepare her for marriage into a prestigious noble family. Naturally, Claire was particularly intimidated by her father.

Once Claire fell silent, the frozen servants finally relaxed, and Lady Edalin exhaled a long sigh that made her look ten years older.

“Then let’s depart.”

It was finally time to leave for Blestige. Only the bare minimum entourage would accompany them: three maids to help with grooming and three guards.

Even so, it was an embarrassingly small group for a procession of a minor noble, especially one formally carrying out duties as a lord.

Of course, since Ryan had succeeded as a philanthropist, he could easily spin this modest display as a humble, “relatable” image for the public.

Though in reality, he was a ruthless opportunist, exploiting the plight of the poor to elicit sympathy while profiting in secret.

“Father, are we using the Teleporter?”

“Traveling by carriage or train would take too long.”

“Wow—a Teleporter!”

The small entourage made sense now.

The Teleporter, a cutting-edge magical device, allowed instantaneous travel to any location. Originally restricted to magicians, it had recently become commercially available.

It was ideal for long-distance travel. Magicians could pay using their magical energy, but ordinary people had to pay money—and the cost was astronomical, roughly equivalent to two years’ wages for a commoner.

Only the wealthiest capitalists and high-ranking nobles used it casually. Even for a borderland baron like Ryan, the fee was painfully high.

“This is my first time using a Teleporter! I’m so excited!”

“Claire, I understand your excitement, but control yourself. There are many eyes watching.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“And in the capital, don’t show your inner feelings too openly. There are all kinds of magical tools and magicians there. Don’t behave like a rustic from the outskirts—act properly.”

In short: don’t look like a country bumpkin.

Claire sheepishly fidgeted with her fingers and nodded, then composed herself.

It was amusing—inside, she was thrilled to experience teleportation, but outwardly, she acted all dignified.

At the same time, it was impressive. Even if nothing else, the ability to switch expressions instantly was uniquely hers.

“Riley.”

“…Yes, Uncle?”

“You’ll pay with your magical energy.”

“….”

“Since your father was a magician, you must have some power too.”

Riley was genuinely taken aback.

“I… have magical energy? It’s never been tested. I’m not registered as a magician.”

Magicians are automatically registered at birth. There’s no way to be unaware of one’s magical status.

Riley assumed she wasn’t a magician, since she wasn’t registered. Yet Ryan insisted.

“Just try it. Better to use your own energy than waste money.”

He made no effort to hide his frugality—it was infuriating. Riley felt disillusioned with her uncle.

‘Why did I ever crave love or approval from such foolish people…’

Now, she wanted nothing to do with being bound to them as family.

“Please step forward. We’ll need to confirm your identities. Your name?”

“Ryan Edalin.”

The Teleporter attendant, wearing special glasses, scanned Ryan up and down. The glasses glowed briefly, then stopped.

“Identity confirmed. Teleportation to Blestige. Nine people total, correct?”

“Yes.”

“How will you pay?”

“This child will use magical energy; the rest will pay with money.”

“Understood. Young lady, please step forward.”

Following the attendant, Riley entered the Teleporter.

“Do you have a magician ID?”

“No.”

“Did you forget it?”

Riley hesitated, but Ryan quickly interjected.

“She left her ID at home. The renewal period passed, and she’s been ill, so we haven’t renewed it yet…”

“I see. Please renew as soon as possible. You’ll need it to use magical tools in the future. Miss, place your hand in the input slot.”

Riley complied. Inside the slot lay a small crystal orb, which glowed red as her hand entered.

“Now, we’ll begin.”

Heat enveloped her body. Simultaneously, multicolored flames erupted, filling her vision. A strange sensation spread through her; weightlessness overcame her as her body felt suspended in midair.

Then the dazzling colors abruptly turned bright white.

Blink.

Riley blinked a few times.

“Welcome to Blestige. Enjoy your time.”

The attendant greeted her.

Riley stared, stunned, at the view before her.

The city far surpassed the modest village of her minor estate. Towering buildings formed a forest of steel and stone, dazzling lights illuminating the night, a vast river reflecting the city’s brilliance.

“This is Blestige…”

A land reserved for the chosen. A place where the empire’s political and economic currents converged. A place coveted by those who sought power and wealth.

The overwhelming brilliance sent shivers down her spine. Seeing the vast metropolis, she realized how small and dark her old world had been.

Her heart raced, a mix of curiosity, desire, and thrill. She felt that something was about to change—both outwardly and inwardly.

The new Tower Lord’s inauguration reception, hosted by Horizon Tower, was as grand and spectacular as expected.

Stepping from the carriage, she saw people adorned in their finest attire, sparkling brighter than the crystal chandeliers overhead.

The red carpet, embroidered in gold thread, led to the entrance, but the elegantly dressed guests outshone even it, creating a living tableau that drew every eye.

“Wow…!”

Claire gasped, covering her mouth in embarrassment. Even in her most extravagant dress, she looked plain compared to the flamboyantly attired crowd.

Riley, dressed modestly, was even more understated.

‘It’s like a completely different world.’

This was a scene she might never see again: extravagant, luxurious, and indulgent.

The hall was lined with tables of top-tier desserts and drinks. As the main tower of the kingdom, the hall rivaled even the largest castles in size.

“Mother! Look! Isn’t that Robert Felita? He’s such a famous actor these days!”

Claire seemed to recognize several attendees.

It wasn’t due to pre-study; the room was simply full of famous figures from various industries, including top-tier actors, artists, musicians, designers, ministers, and journalists.

They all greeted each other as if familiar, highlighting the exclusivity of this society.

‘We’re completely out of place.’

Claire, who had confidently come to find a fiancé, now appeared intimidated by the grandeur of the elite.

Baron Ryan tried to engage anyone he knew, while Lady Edalin trailed behind, anxious about appearances. Riley found their flustered state amusing—they were nothing more than ordinary people pretending to be grand.

‘Let’s just keep a low profile and leave.’

It was fortunate that they were so distracted; slipping away unnoticed seemed possible.

But where to go after escaping? Riley worried. She couldn’t simply vanish forever. If Ryan reported her missing, she’d likely be forced back for the wedding.

She had no knowledge of the city and couldn’t be sure where to stay. Reality had proven far harsher than the vague mental picture she had built.

Then, a commotion.

“The Tower Lord has arrived.”

All eyes turned to the entrance.

A high-priced, state-of-the-art floating stone carriage stopped—clearly the newest creation from Horizon Tower.

The man who stepped out instantly drew everyone’s attention.

‘The new Tower Lord…’

Even from afar, he commanded attention. Elegant, poised, young—yet with a presence far beyond his years. Silver hair, smooth pale skin, sharp gray eyes. Beautiful, untouchable, and mesmerizing.

Riley couldn’t help but stare, a natural, irresistible pull. The same went for the rest of the guests; envy, admiration, and curiosity focused solely on him.

Frightened that she might lose control, Riley quickly looked away. Then she spotted Claire, utterly smitten.

Indeed, some people were clearly love-struck at first sight.

‘Now’s not the time,’ Riley thought, realizing she had to escape.

Just then, someone approached Ryan.

“Who’s this? Baron Edalin!”

Riley froze.

A man relying on a jeweled cane, assisted by an attendant, approached. His wrinkled face and hands, his sagging hair, his excess weight—everything about him was conspicuously unappealing.

“Sir Ermeintz,” came the greeting.

The appearance of this dreaded fiancé was… horrifying.